Antonio Silva’s MMA career has now officially ended. The Brazilian started his career in 2005 and swiftly compiled a 13-1 record.
Silva then joined with Strikeforce. He won there against notable opponents including Fedor Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski.
The heavyweight joined the UFC when Strikeforce was bought by Zuffa. Although he lost his first against Cain Velasquez, back-to-back knockout victories got him an opportunity at a title shot.
One of the greatest heavyweight bouts in MMA history took place in December 2013 when Antonio Silva and Mark Hunt squared off. The bout was eventually declared a draw but the Brazilian later tested positive so it was overturned to a no-contest.
Hunt vs Bigfoot 1:
R1: 10-9 Bigfoot
R2: 10-9 Bigfoot
R3: 10-8 Hunt
R4: 10-8 Bigfoot
R5: 10-8 HuntA stoppage was warranted in R4 for Bigfoot, and R5 for Hunt, but I didn’t give a 10-7 because the loser of the round did serious damage too. ATG fight.
Final Score: 46-46 Draw pic.twitter.com/444YPqdNrn
— George (@GeorgeMMA_) September 5, 2022
Sadly, the match ended up being one of the heavyweight’s career’s high points. Silva’s MMA record after the no-contest was 1-9.
He was also subsequently viciously knocked out in boxing matches against Gabriel Gonzaga and Viachslev Datsik.
Many urged Silva to give up after his most recent loss. He didn’t show much interest at first, but it seems he’s had a change of heart. This was first reported by Carlos Antunes of Canal Encarada.
Antunes tweeted: “I just spoke with Antônio Pezão and he announced that he’s retired from MMA. The Exclusive Interview with the heavyweight’s statements and decision will be aired on Canal Encarada em Instantes. Stay tuned!!”
Acabei de falar com Antônio Pezão e ele anunciou que está aposentado do MMA. A Entrevista Exclusiva com as declarações e a decisão do peso-pesado vai ao ar no Canal Encarada em Instantes. Fiquem ligados!!
— Carlos Antunes (@carlosantuness) December 27, 2022
Even though Antonio Silva has stopped participating in MMA, it seems that he still plans to compete in jiu-jitsu.
He announced earlier this week that he would be going up against Haim Gozali in Brave CF in March. Many people first believed that this would be an MMA contest however, it will actually be a grappling match.